Both looked shell-shocked, with Balat staring ahead and quietly saying something to himself before Stein took the bench, maybe a prayer. His atty wasn’t sure. Kayumi, shrinking into his seat, kept looking over at Balat, but Balat didn’t look back.

March 09, 2026 - 19:01 UTC

1
0
11
After the hearing, atty Mehdi Essmidi said Balat was three classes away from graduating from high school and just turned 18. Essmidi said Balat and Kayumi weren’t friends, describing them as strangers to each other.

"When I say there is a lot to figure out about this young man, I mean it."
1
0
10
Of Balat's fam: "They're just good, hardworking, decent people who have no idea how this could be happening"

Essmidi walked Balat thru the complaint this AM, court decorum, possible indictment

Asked if he told him what the charges carry, Essmidi said no, “I didn't want to scare him too much today”
0
0
10